MEDIA STATEMENT: EQUAL EDUCATION’S GENERAL SECRETARY RESIGNS, INDEPENDENT PANEL INVESTIGATES SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS
On Wednesday 18 April, allegations against the Equal Education (EE) General Secretary, Tshepo Motsepe, of sexual harassment, were disclosed to members of EE’s senior management team. The women who came forward are EE staff.
A preliminary investigation was conducted, and a formal complaint was then submitted to EE’s National Council, our movement’s highest decision-making structure, on 24 April. On that day it resolved that a panel was to be appointed which assessed the allegations against Tshepo.
On Wednesday 25 April, he tendered his resignation. He has not accepted wrongdoing at this stage, and the National Council has resolved to continue with the appointment of an independent panel to investigate the allegations. (See M&G article).
Furthermore, the National Council has resolved to establish a separate, broader assessment process, which will examine EE’s record of dealing with mistreatment in the workplace, EE’s policies and procedures in regard to sexual harassment, and the organisational norms and culture which currently exist at EE.
This was finalised at an in-person meeting of the National Council on 12 May, after the preliminary meetings on 24 April, 27 April, and 30 April.